Battery clamp



May 16, 1933. G. L. MITCHELL BATTERY CLAMP Filed May 20, 1932 3 wuwwboz 6. A Miicfiefl.

Patented May 16, 1933 PATENT OFFICE qnoaen L. MITCHELL, or ARBON, IDAHO BATTERY CLAMP Applicationfiled May 20,

This invention relates to clamps for battery terminals and has for an object to provide'a clamp'which may be put on or taken off without the aid of a tool, may be applied or removed in the dark, may be used where the battery is located in a limited space with only room enough to insert the handthrough the space used forfilling the battery with water, and when in use so firmly grips'the battery terminal as to make tight electrical contact, while at the same time beingso positively anchored in place as to be undisturbed by bumping, vibration, or other disturbances.

A further object is to provide a battery terminal clamp which will be quick opening and closing so that it may be applied or removed by simply inserting a finger underneath the operating lever to remove the de- Vice, closing of the operating-lever by pressure of a finger thereagainst serving to apply the device.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed it being understood that various modifica-- tions may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the battery terminal clamp in applied position,

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the operating lever open to permit removal of the clamp, and,

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the clamp.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, designates a battery and 11 a battery post or terminal, which as usual, is somewhat frusto-conical in contour, as best shown in Figure 4.

The terminal clamp, comprising the subject matter of this invention, consists of a shell 12 which is substantially frusto-conical the wall 16.

1932. Serial No. 612,607. i i i I-J,

in contour to snugly receive the post 11 and may be formed of any desired metal. j

The shell is provided, in the bore thereof,

with a slot 13 which is disposed parallel.

with the axis of the shell and also there'is formed in the bore of the shell a slot 14: of less height than the slot 13 and which communicates therewith. The outer surface 10f the shell is cut away, as shown at 15 in Figure vide an end wall 16, while the opposite end is rounded to provide an endwall 17 opposite A curved metal band 18 isseated in the slot 13 and one end of thecband is provided with a hook 19 Which engages over the oblique end wall 16,v while the opposite end of the band is provided with an eye 20. The hook anchors the band in place while the eye forms means for attaching the operating lever mechanism to the band for expanding or contracting the band, which preferably, is formed of spring metal.

, A plurality of metal plates 21 are fixed at spaced intervals upon the inner face of the band, these plates being of suflicient height to beloosely received in the slot 1 1. Each plate is equipped with a spur22 which pene trates the battery post 11 when the band-is contracted. 'The plates 21 are arcuate and also are tapered on the inner face whereby they may conform snugly to the frusto-conical contour of the battery post 11.

For expanding and contracting the band 18 an arcuate operating lever 23, formed of spring metal, is provided with an eye 24 at one end to receive a pivot pin 25 which is mounted vertically in the cut away portion 15 of the shell. The opposite end of the lerver is struck upwardly to provide a raised tip26 underneath which the finger maybe inserted to rock the lever open. A link'27,

formed of spring metal, is provided with,

an opening 28 at one end to receive the eye 2O of the band 18, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. At the opositeend, the link is provided with spaced hinge'ears 29, as shown in Figure 1, through which, and a hinge ear 30 on the lever 23, a pintle 31 is passed. Both the-link and the lever are arcuate in outline to snugly conform to the contour of the shell.

It will be seen by referring to Figure 2 that when the lever 23 is rocked closed against the shell the link 27 contracts the band 18 radially so that the spurs 22 of the plates 21 are embedded in the surface of the battery post 11. Thus a good metal to metal contact is produced so that a positive electrical connection is made between the shell and the battery post. "Sincethespurs penetrate the post, jars and shocks will not dislodge the device from the post. To :remove the device from the post, it is simply necessary to insert the finger underneath the raised tip 260f the lever and rock the lever 23 to the open position shown in Figure 3. The

,link27 expands the band 18 radially inthe slot 13 and withdraws the plates 21 into the slot '14 so that the spurs are retrieved from the, battery post whereupon the shell may be readily slipped olf the post. This operation may be pe rformed in the dark or in restricted spaces Without the use of tools.

Theshell is equipped with a top boss 32'to receive the battery cable 33, as shown inFigures 1 and 4t.

Fromithe above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without fnrther explanation.

"What is claimed is:

LAA battery clamp comprising a shell adapted to receive a battery'terminal post, saidrs'hell having a slot formed in'thebore ,thereof and opening through the outerface of ithe shell atone side ofthe shell, a metal iband'in the slot havingone end anchored stationary, an arcuate lever pivoted in the side opening, an arcuatelink pivoted to the v "lever and to the free end of the'band, actua- ,tion ojfsaid lever to closed position against :theouter face of the shell moving the link to .contract-the'band radially in the groove, and

;projections,integral with the band and adapt- .ed ,to engage the battery post and be held snugly thereagainst when said band is contracted.

' 2. A'battery clamp comprising a shell having abore adapted to snugly receive a battery post, there beingan arcuate slot formed in theinner wall'of the bore,.there'being a second slot formed in the shell concentric ,withthe axis ofthe shell anddisposed at the .end ofthe first named slot, the first named ,slot being of less height than the second named slot both of said slots opening through the outer face of the shell at a lat- =eral point on the-shell, an arcuateband of metal fitting in the second named slot, spaced metal plates carried by theband fitting in whensaidband is contracted to move said plates into contact with Y the wall of'the I post,

through the outer face of the shell at a lateral point-in the tshell one wall of said opening being beveled and the opposite wall being arounded, an arcuate metal band seated in said slot and having a hook at one end engaging said-tapered Wall to anchor the band at said end to the shell, an arcuate operating leveri pivoted in said opening .at saidlateral point, a'link pivotally connected to the lever andto the free-end of theban'd adjacent to said rounded Wall, rocking of saidlever moving saidflink to expand or to contract said band radially in said slot, and a-metal spur operatively connectedto the;band and penetrating the batteryQpost When saidband is contracted by movement of the. lever to closed 1 position.

In testimony twhereofI affix my signature.

GEORGE ZL. :MI-TCHELL. 

